Judge Paulson selected his champion from the 225 Milking Shorthorns that were exhibited this year.

With no shortage of excitement, Judge Allyn Paulson, Arlington, Wis., chose the Grand Champion of the International Milking Shorthorn Show. As both feet left the ground, he brought his hand down upon the rump of Cates Ruben Tulsa-Time-EXP. Time was bred and owned by Peter Cate of Warren, N.H.

The cow from the Granite State stood at the top of the 4-year-old cow class, and was also chosen by Paulson to receive best udder honors. It's been a decade and a half since an animal Cate owned stood victorious on the colored shavings.

In the Heifer Show, Hard Core Premuim Fire Maid-EXP, owned by Peter Vail, Hillpoint Partners and F & D Borba, of Valatie, N.Y., had what it took to be named Junior Champion of the show. The winning fall heifer calf, Innisfail Mega Lucroy-ET, owned by John Stewart Rowe & Katie Bue of Alma Center, Wis., was named the Reserve Champion.

The "Ladies" brought home the banners in the Junior Show for the second year in a row. Innisfail Ro Lady 906-EXP, owned by Brooke M Clark of Cornish Flat, N.H., was once again named the Grand Champion and Innisfail RU Lady 304-EXP, exhibited by Nicholas Achen of Warner, S.D., was named the Reserve Champion. Ashes Famous Patriot Tracy, leased to Dylan Ash and owned by Cory Salzl & Rosemary Ash of Litchfield, Minn., brought home Junior Champion honors in the Junior Show.

The author was an associate editor and is an animal science graduate of Cornell University. Smith covered feeding, milk quality and headed up the World Dairy Expo Supplement. She grew up on a Medina, N.Y., dairy, and interned at a 1,700-cow western New York dairy, a large New York calf and heifer farm, and studied in New Zealand for one semester.